Comparison of Yaesu FT2000 with built-in CW roofing filter with Kenwood TS890S in ARRL 2025 CW competition

Some amateurs often  buy expensive stations uncritically under the influence of the results of Close-In, IMD3, IMDR - ARRL,Peter Hard-RadCom or Rob Sherwood. None of the above - mentioned don,t test   2nd order products a IMD2 (birdies and spurs) on the receiver , which can be especially in Europe sometimes  very disturbing.They also don't test  audio receiver  quality which is very important in a pile up. Measurements on my antennas had proven that broadcasting signals between 6 and 15MHz, which cause birdies and spurs or blocking, are significantly stronger (sometimes on my antennas more than 20dB) than signals from amateur stations.   ( see table below ).

In a real test on the ham band, it turns out that even in the most demanding competitions such as CQWW, CQWPX, CQWW CW 160m or ARRL DX even some older stations with minimal changes completely satisfy in an environment with really strong signals.The strongest signal that I measured in the competition: - 30 dBm at 28MHz (S9 + 43dB)

In the ARRL DX  CW contest  1050 qso,s has been made comparing  TS890S and FT2000.

One my tip:

Before buying transceiver , make a test in contest on your antennas with  transceiver which you previously loaned from some  friend. Don't buy the bells and whistles !

Strong broadcasting signals between 6 and 15 MHz_figure below

Note: All measurements are valid for my location and are made on my antennas -3.5MHz Inverted L, 7MHz rotary dipole, 14,21 and 28MHz 3 el.Beam

                          

Amateur radio operators often spend large amounts of money on expensive transceivers, buying them almost blindly based on impressive lab test results — especially Close-In, IMDR, and NPR measurements from experts like Rob Sherwood, Adam Farson, or Peter Hart from RadCom.

But when put to the test on the air, even in demanding contests such as CQWW, CQWPX, or CQWW CW 160m, many older and less expensive rigs can still perform surprisingly well — sometimes just as well as modern high-end ones. A study written for the Bavarian Contest Club by DK4YJ came to a similar conclusion: receiver performance in real-world conditions depends much more on RMDR (phase noise sensitivity) than on IMD3 (third-order intermodulation products).

In other words, it’s often wiser to choose a mid-range transceiver with good ergonomics than to overspend on a “top performer” with record-breaking Close-In IMDR numbers. This applies mainly to HF receivers.

How to Test a Transceiver in Real Conditions

 

 Basic rule:

Never test a transceiver at a dealer’s shop, on their antennas, and especially not during the quiet mid-morning hours.

The best test is always on your own antennas, during a major contest such as CQWW, CQWPX, or CQWW 160m. Ideally, compare your rig with a reference transceiver on the same frequency, switching antennas and audio outputs in sync — as shown in the setup below.

Real-World Test Results

Transceivers tested:

• Yaesu FT-2000 with CW roofing filter installed

• Kenwood TS-890S as the reference transceiver

Test configuration:

• FT-2000: 1.4 kHz roofing filter + 300 Hz DSP filter

• TS-890S: 600 Hz roofing filter + 300 Hz DSP filter

Results summary:

• Ergonomics: FT-2000 significantly better

• Selectivity (300 Hz): Almost identical

• Phase noise / IMDR 2 kHz: TS-890S better

• Noise reduction: Roughly the same

• AF quality: TS-890S better

• Notch filter: FT-2000 better

• Fast AGC: FT-2000 better

• RF preselector: Built-in on FT-2000; not present on TS-890S

• Power supply: Built-in on FT-2000; external on TS-890S

• Panadapter: TS-890S has built-in; FT-2000 uses external via HDSDR

• Sensitivity: Depends on preamp selection — TS-890S with preamp 2 shows a few dB higher sensitivity

• Receiver noise (50 Ω termination): Nearly identical

• Strongest contest signal measured: −30 dBm at 28 MHz (S9 + 43 dB)

• Price: FT-2000 (used) ≈ €1000–1100; TS-890S (new) €4400 at Kenlab–SI or €4895 at Wimo–DE

Conclusion

In real CW contest conditions, the FT-2000 with a built-in CW roofing filter performs on par with the TS-890S — one of the top-ranked radios in the Sherwood tests. In fact, due to its better ergonomics and user-friendly layout, the FT-2000 can even be easier and more enjoyable to operate during contests.

It also offers two independent receivers, an internal power supply, and a built-in RF preselector — features that make it very convenient for everyday use.

The TS-890S is an excellent, high-performance transceiver, but it’s best suited for very experienced contest operators who can take full advantage of its capabilities.

I plan to run a similar comparison with the Yaesu FT-101D in the near future. (I haven’t done any SSB testing yet.)

The Golden Rules for Choosing a Transceiver

• Don’t buy a rig based on the brochure!
  Specs on paper rarely tell the whole story.

• Avoid newly released models.
  Let others find the bugs first — wait for real user feedback.

• Never test a transceiver at the dealer’s location.
  Their antennas and environment don’t reflect real-world conditions.

• Skip the “bells and whistles.”
  Fancy features and “shiny” interfaces often add little value.
  A good panadapter on your PC is more useful than a built-in one.
  Even a touch screen can be a problem in contest operation.
  And yes — avoid buying a radio from a smoker!

• Borrow the radio you’re interested in and test it at home on your own antennas, ideally over a weekend or during a contest.

• Prefer a radio with a built-in power supply.

• Pay attention to the communication protocol and available software support.
  The level of PC integration and software tools makes a big difference!

• If you must buy an external power supply, choose a linear one, not a switching type.

• Look for a rig with a built-in tuner, two antenna connectors, and ideally an RF preselector.

• If you buy from a dealer, check whether they also offer service and repairs.

• The best time to test a transceiver is on 7 MHz in the evening, not in the morning.

• The best “field test” for any rig is during a major contest — for example, CQWW 160m or the Marconi CW VHF contest on a real contest site.

• Your first rig can be a used one.
  Prices of used radios drop over time, much like cars.
  Once you gain experience and start contesting seriously, then consider investing in a top-tier model.

• Don’t overdo the technical specs.
  If you’re not a serious contester, a solid mid-range radio (around €1000 or $1000) will serve you perfectly well.
  Ergonomics and operating comfort are often more important than ultimate lab performance.

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Note:
All measurements and impressions mentioned here were made at my own station, using my antennas:

• 1,8 and 3.5 MHz: Inverted-L

• 7 MHz: Rotary dipole

• 14, 21, 28 MHz: 3-element rotary beam

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